An AI-supervised remote exam went so badly that 58,000 students must retake it

3 hours ago

Nearly 160,000 applicants took UNAM's entrance exam remotely for the first time using a lockdown browser and AI webcam proctoring, resulting in a disaster.
The exam results showed a dramatic surge in top scores: 16.3% scored 100+ (vs. 3.5% previously) and 5.5% scored 110+ (vs. 0.9% previously), leading to accusations of widespread cheating.
UNAM appointed an expert commission that recommended an in-person 'control exam' to ensure equity, affecting about 58,000 applicants including those admitted since 2021.
The university rector apologized to honest applicants but stated the control exam is necessary to guarantee fairness and certainty in the admission process.

Professor Roberto Serrano discovered mass cheating via AI in his advanced economics course at Brown University, with at least 50 students involved in the midterm exam.
University officials initially responded with silence, later calling it a 'wake-up call,' but Serrano argues for a public debate to defend academic integrity.
Serrano, a blind economist and game theory expert, adapted the course with take-home exams, which led to unusually high scores (average 96/100), signaling AI use.

Ivy League students are intelligent but may use AI as a shortcut due to competitiveness and time constraints.
A survey found 29.9% of Princeton students admitted to cheating with AI on exams or assignments.
A scandal at Brown University involved professor Roberto Serrano's ECON 1170 course after allowing take-home exams due to a campus tragedy.

The author completed a Bachelor's degree in Computer Science remotely via Coursera over 3.5 years while working full-time, after a 21-year tech career without a degree.
The degree, offered by University of London Worldwide and Goldsmiths, includes remote lectures, assignments, and proctored exams, with costs around £17,000 (A$33,000) spread over the period.
Performance-Based Admission allowed entry by passing initial modules, and Recognition of Prior Learning (via Coursera certificates) replaced three modules, saving time and money.

The New York Times Editorial Board urges the University of California system to reverse its 'test-blind' admissions policy, calling it a 'terrible' mistake.
UC's own Standardized Testing Task Force found that standardized test scores help predict student success, but the system voted in 2020 to stop considering them.
UC San Diego faculty reported a sharp drop in academic preparation for new students, with a rise in those unqualified for pre-calculus.

Roberto Serrano, a Brown University professor, switched to take-home midterms due to student anxiety after a campus shooting, but later regretted it due to suspected AI cheating.
Dozens of students likely used AI to cheat on the midterm, earning unusually high scores; Serrano responded by making the final exam in-person, leading to many drops and failures.
The university's response to the cheating was criticized as 'meek,' with administrators asking for individual complaints, which Serrano found impractical and ineffective.

Professor Roberto Serrano discovered mass cheating via AI in his advanced economics course at Brown University, with at least 50 students involved in the midterm exam.
University officials initially responded with silence, later calling it a 'wake-up call,' but Serrano argues for a public debate to defend academic integrity.
Serrano, a blind economist and game theory expert, adapted the course with take-home exams, which led to unusually high scores (average 96/100), signaling AI use.

Ivy League students are intelligent but may use AI as a shortcut due to competitiveness and time constraints.
A survey found 29.9% of Princeton students admitted to cheating with AI on exams or assignments.
A scandal at Brown University involved professor Roberto Serrano's ECON 1170 course after allowing take-home exams due to a campus tragedy.

The author completed a Bachelor's degree in Computer Science remotely via Coursera over 3.5 years while working full-time, after a 21-year tech career without a degree.
The degree, offered by University of London Worldwide and Goldsmiths, includes remote lectures, assignments, and proctored exams, with costs around £17,000 (A$33,000) spread over the period.
Performance-Based Admission allowed entry by passing initial modules, and Recognition of Prior Learning (via Coursera certificates) replaced three modules, saving time and money.

The New York Times Editorial Board urges the University of California system to reverse its 'test-blind' admissions policy, calling it a 'terrible' mistake.
UC's own Standardized Testing Task Force found that standardized test scores help predict student success, but the system voted in 2020 to stop considering them.
UC San Diego faculty reported a sharp drop in academic preparation for new students, with a rise in those unqualified for pre-calculus.

Roberto Serrano, a Brown University professor, switched to take-home midterms due to student anxiety after a campus shooting, but later regretted it due to suspected AI cheating.
Dozens of students likely used AI to cheat on the midterm, earning unusually high scores; Serrano responded by making the final exam in-person, leading to many drops and failures.
The university's response to the cheating was criticized as 'meek,' with administrators asking for individual complaints, which Serrano found impractical and ineffective.

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